Shirt with interior pocket at neck placket

ABSTRACT

An interior concealed pocket for a garment such as a shirt that affords a convenient location to store eye glasses or the like. The interior, concealed pocket is formed from a thin, flexible substrate attached to the garment along at least two opposing edges. The interior, concealed pocket may be opened from the top or, optionally, from the bottom. A hook-and-loop fastening system is used for securing respective top and/or bottom flaps. The internal, concealed pocket may have closable openings at the top, at the bottom, or at both the top and bottom.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority in accordance with 37 C.F.R. §1.19(e)to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/735,588 filed Dec.11, 2012 for SHIRT WITH INTERIOR POCKET AT NECK PLACKET which isincluded herein in its entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to garments and, more particularly, to shirts orthe like having interior pocket selectively openable from at least twodirections.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Garment pockets are well known and generally considered useful forstoring personal items. Pockets on the outside of garments are subjectto loss of item stored therein, particularly when the wearer of thegarment stoops, bends, or otherwise contorts his or her body. Forexample, objects in an outside shirt pocket may fall out during amovement such as when a wearer simply bends over to pick up an object,reaches up for an item, or jumps up to reach for an article.

The simple task of bending over to pick up a child may cause articlesstored in an outside shirt pocket to fall onto the child. Working onmechanical moving devices while carrying articles in an outside pocketmay result in some or all of the articles falling into the mechanism anddamaging the mechanism or harming the wearer trying to catch the fallingarticles.

Eyeglasses are one article commonly carried in an outside shirt pocketeither in or without a case. Eyeglasses are extremely prone to damagethat may occur if they fall out of a shirt pocket, especially if theyare uncased. Further, the appearance of a garment may be important.Glasses stored in an outside pocket may give a cluttered or otherwiseundesired appearance to an otherwise fashionable garment.

Interior pockets are well known for jackets, coats, and similargarments. However, in today's workplace environments, casual attire ismore common than in the past with suits and jackets typically being wornless frequently than in the past. Even in workplaces where suits andjackets are the normal attire, causal days such as “casual Friday” allowemployees to dress less formally. Consequently, an interior pocket isfrequently unavailable to many people during the work day.

Also, garments typically worn for recreational and other activities donot include jackets and coats. Where such activities occur in a warmenvironment, for example, a golf course or at the beach, an availablepocket, at least a pocket suitable for protecting a wearer's eyeglasses,is typically nonexistent.

It would, therefore, be advantageous to provide a pocket on an interiorportion of a garment that may safely constrain articles, for exampleeyeglasses. Such a pocket may preserve the otherwise fashionableappearance of the garment.

DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART

Several attempts to provide an interior pocket may be found in the priorart. For example, United States Published Patent Application No.20110231982 for CONCEALMENT APPAREL, published Sep. 29, 2011 uponapplication by Lawrence K. Echikson, discloses apparel for theconcealment of articles including a shirt that allows fast and saferetrieval of a concealed weapon. The shirt can have multiple accesspoints to allow the wearer to retrieve weapons holstered in a shouldertype rig, against the waistband (“AWB”) holster, or a “belly-band” typeholster. The shirt comprises a shell substantially in the shape of ashirt and an inner panel substantially lining at least a portion of theinterior portion of the shell. The shell defines at least one accessport configured to be selectively opened or closed to enable selectiveaccess to an interior portion of the shell. Specifically, a shirt havingan interior pocket for holding “travel articles” is in the vicinity of afront placket 150 is provided. (Paragraph 34).

United States Published Patent Application No. 2005\0144704 for INTERIORPOCKET FOR GARMENT, published Jul. 7, 2005 upon application by NugentVitallo shows an interior pocket for a garment such as a shirt thataffords an enhanced degree of secrecy and security for articles storedin the interior pocket. The interior pocket affords a greater degree ofprotection against easy theft compared to an outside pocket by beingsituated on the inside of the shirt between the shirt and the wearer'sbody. Positioning the items in the interior pocket reduces the risk ofthievery by a pickpocket using sleight of hand techniques. Specifically,Vitallo discloses a shirt having access to an interior pocket havingaccess from a V-neck, placket, etc. (paragraph 16).

U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,627 for INSERTABLE AND REMOVABLE SHIRT POCKET issuedJul. 29, 1952 to Paul D. Abbott shows an interior pocket in FIG. 1.

United States Published Patent Application No. 20050160514 or GARMENTHAVING HEAD-AND FACE COVER, published Jul. 28, 2005 upon application byKenneth Bruce Flaniken discloses a garment with an attachedhead-and-face cover, such as a ski mask, and a hood. The head-and-facecover has eye openings and a mouth opening. The garment has a bodyportion and a collar. When the head-and-face cover is not deployed on ahead and face of the wearer, the head-and-face cover is inserted into astorage structure. The storage structure may be a pouch that danglesfrom the garment body portion by a connecting piece. In anotherembodiment, the storage structure may be a pocket sewn to the hood or tothe front portion or back portion of the garment body portion.Specifically, a pocket 214 may be seen in FIG. 5.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,915 for JACKET, issued Jun. 11, 2005 to KojiYoshimura, teaches a passage extending from the upper pocket to thelower outlet being formed. The lower end of the passage has a receptaclepositioned immediately above the outlet. At a location upward of thereceptacle, another outlet that opens to one side of the passage isformed. The outlet and the lower outlet are connected to each other viaan outlet passage. When a cell phone is dropped in from the upperpocket, it glides down inside the passage and is received by thereceptacle established at the lower end. When the wearer of the jacketinserts fingers through the lower outlet and pushes up the receptacle,he can easily push out the cell phone held inside through the outlet,which opens to one side of the passage. The cell phone can be taken outfrom the lower outlet which is connected to the outlet via an outletpassage. Yoshimura specifically teaches an interior pocket for e.g.eyeglasses (column 1, lines 12-16).

U.S. Pat. No. 8,257,140 for CONCEALED AND DISCREET SECURITY POCKETissued Sep. 4, 2012 to Judith Ann Kenny discloses a discrete, easilyaccessible, and selectively introduced and selectively removed pocketthat holds articles (e.g., keys, cash, credit cards, metro cards,cosmetics, valuables, or other accessories). The pocket is worn in theinterior of a brassiere cup or bathing suit top to provide convenienceand safety and is shaped and contoured appropriately to the interior ofsuch garment. The pocket can be used with any brassiere and is held inplace with a plurality of attaching members, including but not limitedto magnets. The pocket is alternately and easily removed from an articleof clothing, even in public, and worn as a sachet around the wrist.

None of the patents and published patent applications, taken singly, orin any combination are seen to teach or suggest the novel Shirt withInterior Pocket at Neck Placket of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an interiorconcealed pocket for a garment such as a shirt that affords a convenientlocation to store eye glasses or the like. The concealed pocket can beopened from the top or opened from the bottom using a hook-and-loopfastening system for securing respective top and bottom flaps. The topand/or bottom flaps may be readily opened.

The novel interior concealed pocket may be constructed to provide aninterior pocket that enables an overall more attractive garment becauseeye glasses or the like is stored in the internal pocket where they arenot visible to the public.

The novel interior concealed pocket may be constructed to provide aninterior pocket that can be affixed to the placket of a shirt.

The novel interior concealed pocket may be constructed to provide aninterior pocket that can be affixed securely to a shirt, the interiorpocket constructed through means of outer and inner material attached tothe aforementioned shirt thereby creating an interior pocket usingportions of the inner garment.

The novel interior concealed pocket may be constructed to provide asimple and effortless means of a fixing the interior pocket throughmeans of outer and inner material attached to the aforementioned shirt.

The novel interior concealed pocket may be constructed to provide aninterior concealed pocket which can be affixed securely to a shirt, theinterior pocket constructed through means of outer and inner materialattached to the aforementioned shirt, the outer material camouflagingthe interior pocket from any outward look of bulk upon the garment.Through the variety of decorations of the outer material, the interiorpocket can be less obvious in bulk and therefore when applied to ashirt, can be used to keep the look of a “no pocket” conventional shirt.

Easy access to the interior pocket is provided by the design of theconcealed interior pocket being attached to the placket of the shirt. Aninterior pocket entry is provided through the opening from the V neckdesign of many golf shirts, from the V neck design of certain sweaters,from the top opened buttons of casual dress shirts from which the wearercan access the interior pocket with relative ease.

The novel interior concealed pocket may be constructed to provide aninterior pocket which can be affixed securely to any garment, theinterior pocket constructed through means of outer and inner materialattached to the aforementioned garment.

Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will bebecome readily apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from theaccompanying drawings.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an interiorpocket disposed near the neck of a shirt or similar garment.

It is another object of the invention to provide an interior pocketdisposed near the neck of a shirt or similar garment disposed on aninterior surface of the neck placket.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an interiorpocket disposed near the neck of a shirt or similar garment having atleast an upper closing flap secured using a hook-and-loop fasteningsystem.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an interior pocketdisposed near the neck of a shirt or similar garment having, in additionto a top closing flap, a bottom closing flap also secures using ahook-and-loop fastening system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the presentinvention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood when considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which like reference characters designate the same orsimilar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational, schematic view of a garment having a aninternal, concealed pocket in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational, schematic view of the garment of FIG. 1showing hook-and-loop fastening material to close a top flap of theinternal concealed pocket;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational, schematic view of the garment of FIG. 1and showing a pair of eye glasses completely contained within theinternal, concealed pocket;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational of the garment of FIG. 1 with the placketdisposed inwardly thereby completely hiding the internal, concealedpocket of the invention;

FIG. 5, is a front elevational, schematic view the garment of FIG. 2 buthaving an additional bottom flap disposed at a lower edge of internal,concealed pocket; and

FIG. 6 is a front elevational, schematic view the garment of FIG. 3 buthaving an additional bottom flap disposed at a lower edge of internal,concealed pocket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides an internal concealed pocket forattachment to the placket of a garment, for example, a shirt.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a front elevational, schematicview of a garment including such an internal, concealed pocket,generally at reference number 100.

The placket 102 of garment 100 is folded outwardly such as when upperbuttons, not shown, of a shirt or a similar garment are unbuttoned. Apocket 104 is affixed to an inside surface of the placket 102. Pocket104 is formed by a thin, flexible substrate, not specificallyidentified. The thin, flexible substrate is attached to garment at twoopposing edges, edges typically parallel to a major axis of pocket 104.The substrate is typically attached by stitching, adhesively adhering,or by using a hook-and-loop fastening system.

A pair of eye glasses 108 may be seen protruding from an upper opening,not specifically identified, of pocket 104. Note that eye glasses 108form no part of the present invention and are shown merely to illustratea typical use of internal, concealed pocket 104.

A surface 106 normally having one component of a hook-and-loop fasteningsystem adhered thereto, is adapted to receive a upper flap, 110, bestseen in FIG. 2, thereby closing the upper opening and securing eyeglasses 108 or similar pocket contents, not shown, within pocket 104.

Referring now also to FIG. 2, there is shown a front elevational,schematic view of the garment 100 of FIG. 1 but further showing a toppocket flap 110 having a first component of a hook-and-loop fasteningsystem 112 disposed along a edge, not specifically identified, thereof.

A mating portion of a hook-and-loop fastening system is disposed onsurface 106. Eye glasses 108 are shown partially protruding from pocket104 prior to closing and fastening upper flap 110.

Referring now also to FIG. 3, there is shown a front elevational,schematic view of the garment 100 of FIG. 1 with a pair of eye glasses108 completely contained within the internal, concealed pocket 104. Anupper flap 110 adhered to the front of internal, concealed pocket 104 byhook-and-loop fastening system 112 and the second component of surface106, best seen in FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a front elevational of thegarment of FIG. 3 with the placket 102 disposed inwardly in the normalposition when garment 100 is being worn. In this position, pocket 104,flap 110, and surface 106 as well as eye glasses 108 are completelyhidden from view within internal, concealed pocket 104.

While pocket 104 has been shown with only a top flap 110 securing anycontents therein, the desirability of accessing pocket 104 from thebottom will be recognized. Bottom access may be in place of top accessor in addition to top access. It will be recognized that when only asingle top or bottom access to pocket 104 is provided, an opposing edgeof the substrate will also need to be adhered to garment 100.

Referring now also to FIG. 5, there is shown a front elevational,schematic view the garment 100 of FIG. 2 but having an additional bottomflap 114 disposed at a lower edge of internal, concealed pocket 104.Bottom flap 115 has a first component 116 of a hoop-and-loop fasteningsystem disposed on an outer edge, not specifically identified, thereof.A mating surface 118 contains a second component of the hook-and-loopfastening system. In FIG. 5, both upper flap 110 and lower flap 114 areshown in an open orientation.

Referring now also to FIG. 6, there is shown a front elevational,schematic view the garment 100 of FIG. 3 but having an additional bottomflap 114 disposed at a lower edge of internal, concealed pocket 104.Both top flap 110 and bottom flap 114 are closed, thereby retaining eyeglasses 108 (or any other item) stored in internal, concealed pocket104.

Internal, concealed pocket 104 may be formed as an integral part ofgarment 100, placed into garment 100 at the time of its manufacture. Inother embodiments, internal, concealed pocket 104 may be added toplacket 102 of garment 104. Internal, concealed pocket 104 may be sewninto garment 100, adhesively attached to garment 100, attached togarment 100 with a hook-and-loop fastening system, or using any othersuitable attachment system and/or method. Such methods and systems arebelieved to be well known to those of skill in the art are therefore,are neither further describer nor discussed herein.

It will be further recognized that the concept disclosed for internal,concealed pocket 104 on the inside surface of placket 102 of garment 100may be extended to pockets of other configurations, sizes, andlocations. Consequently, the invention is not considered limited tointernal, concealed pocket 104 shown for purposes of disclosure,

Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operatingrequirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in theart, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen forpurposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications whichdo not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of thisinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected byLetters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An internal, concealed pocket for disposal on aninside surface of a placket of a garment, comprising: a) a pocketforming substrate attached to a placket of a garment along at least twoedges thereof thereby forming an opening between said garment and aninner surface of said substrate; b) at least one flap contiguous withsaid substrate and disposed at at least one end of said substrateorthogonal to said at least two edges; and c) means for fasteningoperatively connected to said at least one flap and to said substrateadjacent said at least one flap for securing said at least one flap tosaid substrate.
 2. The internal, concealed pocket as recited in claim 1,wherein said pocket is adapted and configured for placement on an insidesurface of a placket of said garment.
 3. The internal, concealed pocketas recited in claim 2, wherein said internal, concealed pocket assumes asubstantially vertical orientation and said at least one flap comprisesa top flap.
 4. The internal, concealed pocket as recited in claim 3,wherein an opposing lower edge of said substrate is adhered to saidgarment.
 5. The internal, concealed pocket as recited in claim 2,wherein said internal, concealed pocket assumes a substantially verticalorientation and said at least one flap comprises a bottom flap.
 6. Theinternal, concealed pocket as recited in claim 5, wherein an opposingupper edge of said substrate is adhered to said garment.
 5. Theinternal, concealed pocket as recited in claim 2, wherein said internal,concealed pocket assumes a substantially vertical orientation and saidat least one flap comprises a top flap and a second, bottom flap.